1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toothbrushes and more specifically, to combined toothbrush and plaque scrapers.
2. Description of Related Art
There are various instruments for maintaining oral hygiene, each of which has a particular function. A toothbrush is designed for brushing the teeth but is also used for brushing the gums and tongue to remove plaque. However, the bristles are not adequate for removing plaque from the tongue but for only for dislodging plaque from the tongue surface.
Greenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 2,049,956, shows a tongue-cleaning device in conjunction with a toothbrush. The tongue-cleaning device is located on the handle away from the bristles of the brush and therefore, necessitates changing the position of the hand on the brush to alternate between brushing the teeth and scraping the tongue with the scraper. Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,704, shows a toothbrush and tongue cleaner wherein the tongue cleaner is at the end of the toothbrush opposite the bristles. Bennett, U.S. Pat. No. 2,533,345, shows a toothbrush having tooth powder pickup grooves defined by a pair of lips used to scrape up the tooth powder from the hand.